


If You Want It

by todxrxki



Series: Kuroken Week 2020 [3]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: 5 Times, Alternate Universe - Rock Band, Childhood Friends, Five times + one time, Fluff, M/M, another self-indulgent band au, but this time kuroo and kenma are in the same band
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-15
Updated: 2020-04-15
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:28:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,495
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23668384
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/todxrxki/pseuds/todxrxki
Summary: Kenma’s eyebrows narrow - it sounds almost like the interviewer is implying that they’re together, together. As in more than just best friends. The funny feeling in his chest doesn’t leave. But he tells himself she has no idea what she’s talking about. They’re just close best friends, after all. Close bandmates. That’s all. / Five times people thought that Kuroo and Kenma, fellow band members, were dating, and one time they actually were.
Relationships: Kozume Kenma/Kuroo Tetsurou
Series: Kuroken Week 2020 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1701457
Comments: 22
Kudos: 448
Collections: Kuroken Week 2020, My favorite haikyuu fics





	If You Want It

1.

“Hey, I’m Tetsurou Kuroo, lead singer of Neko. And this - this here is the _heart_ and _soul_ of our band. And I don’t use those words lightly. Meet the man, the myth, the legend - Kenma Kozume.”

“Shut up.” 

The interviewer smiles at them. It’s a little bit of a weird smile, Kenma thinks, too knowing. But then again, interviewers look at them like that a _lot._ And Kenma still hasn’t figured out why exactly. “How did you two meet, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“See,” Kuroo says, slinging an arm around Kenma’s shoulders, in the obnoxious way he always does - like Kenma’s his own personal arm rest. “The cool thing about me and Kenma is that we met decades - “

“Ten. Exactly ten years ago,” Kenma interrupts before his best friend can ramble on any more. 

“- well, it feels like decades ago. And we just _clicked_ , y’know? Best friends from birth, pretty much.”

“I was seven and you were eight when we met.”

“Fine. Best friends from seven and eight doesn’t have quite the same ring, though. Anyways, when we were in high school, I realized that Kenma had the voice of a motherfucking angel - am I allowed to say that in an interview?”

The interviewer chuckles. “It’s okay. We can edit it out later.”

“So he has the voice of an angel, right. And I can play guitar decently, y’know? So I had the world’s most brilliant idea. Why not start a band together? So that’s Neko’s origin story. And of course we added Morisuke and Nobuyuki and Taketora eventually, blah blah blah, but that’s the part that _matters_.”

Kenma sighs, glancing over at Tetsurou. “Kuro, you realize that the question was just about how we met. And that’s an easy answer - our parents introduced us when we were kids.”

“That’s the boring story,” Tetsurou complains, squeezing his shoulder. “We gotta keep the listeners entertained.”

“Fine. Kuro and I first met when he, the prodigy he is, saved me from a burning building patrolled by dragons.”

“You hear this? All of you fans are always like ‘Kenma’s so cute! He’s so sweet!’. But what you don’t see are all the times he’s a little shit. Just like this one.” Tetsurou laughs, though, his fingertips still warm on Kenma’s shoulder. Kenma’s head feels heavy, so he rests it on Tetsurou’s shoulder, because it’s Tetsurou and he knows Tetsurou won’t mind, knows Tetsurou better than he knows himself, he thinks sometimes. 

The interviewer gives them that weird, knowing smile again. “You two are sweet together,” she says cheerily. Kenma’s eyebrows narrow - it sounds almost like she’s implying that they’re together, together. As in more than just best friends.

But then she moves on, asking them a question about the collaboration in lyrics on their latest album and Kenma gets momentarily distracted as he chimes in with Tetsurou about how they’d worked together to come up with the lyrics. 

Still, the funny feeling in his chest doesn’t leave. But he tells himself she has no idea what she’s talking about.

They’re just close best friends, after all. Close bandmates. That’s all.

2.

“Kenma Kozume,” comes a voice from just outside of Kenma’s bunk, jolting him out of his relaxing sleep. “You’ve got exactly one minute to get yourself out of that bed. We’re rehearsing in ten minutes.” Kenma closes his eyes in despair and doesn’t answer, as usual, but that only seems to make Morisuke Yaku angrier. “All right, fine, I’m opening your bunk curtain - oh, shit.”

Kenma blinks, the sudden flood of bright light irritating his eyes. He doesn’t see exactly what Morisuke could be so surprised about. This is practically their daily routine, after all.

Then he realizes all at once that there’s a warm body pressed up against him.

Suddenly the previous night comes flooding back to him. He'd been out with the band, drinking a little bit, but not overdoing it - he knows his limits. He could tell, though, based on the expression on Tetsurou's face that Tetsurou was getting agitated by something. And so, about an hour or two into the night, he'd sidled up next to Tetsurou and whispered, "Hey, wanna get out of here?"

"Yes," Tetsurou had said emphatically, just as Kenma had known he would. And so they'd come back to the bus, since neither could think of anywhere better to go, and they'd both ended up in Kenma's bunk - just to chat for a little while. Tetsurou had admitted that he'd been down about the show that night, thinking that despite the crowd's loud, loving roar he could've performed better, kept the audience going more, that he was a shitty excuse for a frontman. Kenma had glared at him in response and told him that he was the perfect frontman - that Kenma couldn't imagine doing what Tetsurou did, and that's why they'd chosen Tetsurou as the band's frontman, to take the attention off of Kenma. He'd reassured Tetsurou that he was doing amazing. Then, apparently, at some point, they'd both dozed off, Kenma's head situated on Tetsurou's chest.

And that's how Morisuke has discovered them now. 

Kenma blinks and sits up, elbowing Tetsurou in the chest. "Kuro. Wake up."

"Mmm," Tetsurou says. "Five more minutes."

"Oh, how the roles reverse," Kenma says, rolling his eyes - more often than not, it's Tetsurou harassing Kenma to get out of the bed already. "Get up, lazy ass. Seriously."

Something seems to get through to Tetsurou, finally, because he blinks and his eyes shoot open. "Shit. I'm awake, I'm awake," he says, pushing himself over Kenma to get out of the bunk. "Ah. Mornin', Mori."

"Holy shit," Morisuke says, and then, "Y'know, I didn't think the rumors were actually true. I figured you two would've said something if so, but I guess not..."

"The rumors?" Tetsurou asks, wrinkling his brow.

Morisuke frowns. "Like, about the two of you being a thing."

"They aren't true," Kenma interrupts before Tetsurou can say anything. "We were just in my bunk talking and then we fell asleep. That's it."

Morisuke doesn't look convinced. "Well, I mean, if they were true, you know none of us would judge, right? You can talk to us about anything." 

"We know," Tetsurou says, and Kenma finishes with, "But there's nothing to tell." He sighs, patting Tetsurou's arm gently before pushing past both of them and heading to the bathroom. "Gonna get ready. See you at rehearsal."

He thinks he hears Tetsurou mutter something under his breath as Kenma walks away, but that doesn't seem right. 

3.

"Take a selfie with me."

"Why would I do that?" Kenma asks. "I don't like taking selfies."

"I know you don't," Tetsurou presses, "but well, the fans love seeing pictures of you, probably 'cause they're so rare. And I think you look great in pictures, for the record."

"Thanks," Kenma deadpans. "But unfortunately, you must be biased or something, because I seem to look like shit in every single selfie I've ever taken. Which is why I don't post them."

"I don't buy it. You do not."

"I do too."

"Do not."

"Do too."

"Fine, prove it to me, then. Take a selfie with me now. If you look bad in it, then I'll delete it and never harass you to take a picture with me again. But if you look good... then I'm gonna post it, and you can't say anything about it." 

Kenma considers for a second. Having one less thing that Tetsurou can bug him about would be nice, and chances are he's gonna look like shit in the picture: his forehead always seems to be way too big in the photos. So he nods. "Fine. You have a deal."

Tetsurou pulls him close, hooking an arm around his shoulders, then presses their faces together. The image on the screen shows the too-big smile on Tetsurou's face, and Kenma's chest feels warm. It's nice, despite everything, to see Tetsurou so happy: an indication that starting this band had been the right thing to do. Kenma likes to see him so happy. A quiet smile makes its way onto his lips at the thought, but he doesn't notice it until - 

"I was totally right," Tetsurou boasts, shoving the phone into Kenma's face. "You look great. I'm totally postin' this."

"I do not," Kenma protests, even though he knows that he's at least partially wrong. The photo on the screen is definitely one of the better pictures Kenma's ever taken, probably owing to the genuine smile on his lips. He scowls. "Ugh, fine. Do whatever you want."

"I'm always right, y'know," Tetsurou says smugly as he types something into his phone. "This is why you don't make bets with me."

"You lose more than half the time we bet."

"That's not at all true!"

"Yes, it is. Remember that time you had to give me twenty bucks because you didn't think I, the lead singer of an alternative rock band, knew all the words to Bohemian Rhapsody, of all songs?"

"...you're cruel."

Later that night, Kenma takes a peek at the comments to the photo that Tetsurou had posted. There's a good amount of "OMG NEW KENMA CONTENT!" and "KENMA FANS HAVE BEEN BLESSED TODAY," but there's also a lot of something else. A lot of "TETSUKEN RISE!" and "Omg you two are so cute together, you're dating right??" and "Tetsurou and Kenma for cutest couple!" 

He's struck by the urge to comment, to say that he's not dating Tetsurou, that he's not interested at all in that. But then his mind starts whirring. Is he interested in... that, with Tetsurou of all people? Could he see himself and Tetsurou together? And isn't Tetsurou kind of hot, in a weird way?

No. It's an absurd thought. With a scowl, he closes the Instagram app.

  
  


4.

They're at a meet-and-greet after one of their shows. As usual, they're lined up - Nobuyuki, Morisuke, Taketora, Kenma, and then Tetsurou on Kenma's other side. Kenma thinks that Tetsurou stands there purposely so that he can tell the fans embarrassing stories about Kenma, or maybe so he can tease all the fans that say Kenma is their favorite member. He wouldn't put it past Tetsurou either way.

A fan steps up between the two of them, and her eyes fall immediately on Kenma. "Oh my god, Kenma Kozume," she says, her eyes bright. "I can't believe I'm actually standing in front of the Kenma Kozume! You're even prettier in person, holy shit."

Kenma paints on a smile but internally winces, because he's sure that Tetsurou is listening, and that means that in seconds, Tetsurou's going to chime in with something. Sure enough - "Isn't he the best?" Tetsurou asks in a smarmy tone, draping his arm over Kenma's shoulders. "Honestly, I say that to myself every morning, that he's prettier in person and shit." 

Kenma sighs, shrugging Tetsurou's arm off of him. "You do not."

"Yes, I do! You just don't hear it."

"Shut up, you do not."

"Ah, sorry to blow you off like that, Tetsurou! You're super cool too, of course," the fan says, blushing. 

"No, I'm not upset at all," Tetsurou says, grinning. "In fact, I'd rather you be a Kenma fan than a fan of me. Kenma's much more deserving than I am."

Kenma groans. "You're so annoying," he grumbles, because of course Tetsurou has to pull this shit all the time. He knows that Tetsurou means it, which makes it slightly less annoying: that if Tetsurou had it his way, everyone on the planet would be a Kenma fan. He's not just saying shit to make fun of Kenma. Regardless, it's obnoxious and incredibly over-the-top. 

There's a little smile on the fan's face, though, as she says, "You guys make the cutest couple." And once again, Kenma finds himself in the position of defending their relationship status.

"We're not dating," he says flatly.

"Oh, sorry!" she says, her face turning red. "I mean, everyone on Twitter was saying - and you two - so I just assumed! Sorry, I shouldn't have assumed!" 

"It's fine, you didn't know," he says, and glances over to see Tetsurou staring at him, in the weirdly soft way he often catches Tetsurou staring at him in. His breath stops for a second as he considers. Would it be so bad to date Tetsurou, to be looked at in this way by Tetsurou, every day for the rest of his life? Would it be so bad to have Tetsurou talk about him with a fond tone, to be held by Tetsurou at night and kissed by him in the morning? It'd be a lot like their current relationship, but with more bonuses.

And it's not like he doesn't love Tetsurou, Kenma realizes with a jolt as he looks at Tetsurou. Holy shit, he loves Tetsurou. It's both shocking and not shocking at the same time: like an exciting inevitability. 

"Oh my god, hi," comes the voice of the next guy in line, and Kenma tears his gaze away from Tetsurou. There are more important things to finish first, he thinks to himself, but apparently he has a lot more to think about than he realized.

5.

About a month later, Neko ends up on tour with Full Soul, a band they've been touring with forever. They head to yet another bar after one of their shows to drink with the Full Soul members. Kenma tries to stay on the edge, away from the center of the action, but Tetsurou notices. He always does. 

"Hey, want a strawberry daiquiri?" he asks, low in Kenma's ear. "I heard they were really good here."

Kenma swallows. Figuring out he's probably in love with Tetsurou means that even these innocuous interactions have suddenly taken on a different undertone. "Uh, yeah. That'd be good."

"Kay, I'll get you one," Tetsurou says, and then, "Hey, you know I'm here, right? I'll be right here all night. And Keiji has been dying to talk to you all night, Bo said."

Kenma lifts his eyes to look up at Keiji Akaashi, lead singer of Full Soul, who returns his gaze with a raised eyebrow. It doesn't look like he's been dying to talk to Kenma, but Keiji can be difficult to read sometimes. He gives a slight nod. "Okay."

Tetsurou looks almost like he's going to say something else, but then he shakes his head. "Okay," he repeats. 

"Don't get too drunk."

"Hey, I never get drunk! I have a steel composure, you know."

"Then what was that time you threw up on my bunk?"

"...the flu?"

"You're a terrible bullshitter," Kenma says dryly. "But go, have fun." 

As soon as Tetsurou walks off, surely enough, Keiji walks over to him and sits down. His eyes cut over to Tetsurou, then back to Kenma. "So, how long has that been going on?" he asks. 

"How long has what been going on?" Kenma asks. 

Keiji frowns. "You know, your thing with Tetsurou. I mean... you are together, am I correct?"

"Uh, no," Kenma says. "We're just... best friends."

"Really?" Keiji asks flatly. "I've seen a lot of best friends over the course of my lifetime, but typically people who are actually 'just best friends' don't look at each other the way Tetsurou looks at you." 

"We've known each other a long time," Kenma says stiffly.

"Try again."

"It's not like I'd be opposed. But I just don't know how to bring it up."

Keiji sits for a second in contemplative silence, but then he says, "Why not mention that everyone thinks you're dating and see where that gets you?" 

"What - do you think that'll actually work?"

"Who knows," Keiji says with a shrug. "But I do feel that it's worth a try."

And so, the next night, when they're in the bus on the way down the road, Kenma climbs into Tetsurou's bunk. Tetsurou doesn't seem all that surprised. He scoots over, making a space for Kenma. "Bored?"

"I guess," Kenma says. "More like I need to talk to you."

"Oh?"

"Everyone thinks we're dating."

"Yeah, I noticed," Tetsurou says, laughing. "Literally everyone, huh?"

"And I wondered what you thought about that."

Tetsurou freezes, as though he's taken aback by the question. And then, Kenma notices, his eyes flit downwards, a tiny bit of pink making its way onto his cheeks. "Uh," he finally stammers out, "I... I mean, I guess there are worse people to be paired with, y'know?"

Kenma's no love expert, but he's played enough dating sims in his spare time to know exactly what that reaction entails. He takes a deep breath. "Kuro... Tetsurou. Do you like me?"

Tetsurou seems to jump at the sound of his own first name from Kenma's lips, but then he tries quickly to regain his composure. "Of course I like you, Kenma. You're my best friend, y'know?"

"Romantically."

Tetsurou winces. He takes a second to pause before he says, "Yeah. I do. Well, actually, that's not fully accurate. I'm pretty sure I'm in love with you."

"Ah," Kenma says, and then, "Well, that's good, because I love you too."

"What?!"

"What do you mean, what? I just repeated it back to you."

"How can you be so casual and flat about this, huh?! You just - what, fuckin' confessed your love to me!" 

"Yeah. But I mean, it's you, and you already said you love me too."

"Kenma! Oh my god. You - you seriously love me? You aren't kidding? You love me back?"

"Yes, I said that."

"Shit," Tetsurou says, his eyes big. "I love you so much."

"I know," Kenma says, rolling onto his side and looking up at Tetsurou, allowing a tiny smile. Then he tilts his head up, a non-subtle hint. Thankfully, this time, Tetsurou picks up on it and leans down, pressing his lips against Kenma's. They kiss for what seems like ages, Tetsurou's lips rough against Kenma's, pushing in his tongue after a bit - which seems like it would be gross, but somehow is one of the hottest things Kenma's ever experienced. 

"Shit," Tetsurou says once he pulls away, panting. "Wish we weren't in a fucking bus."

"No fucking on the bus," comes a loud yell from below Tetsurou, followed by a loud shout from Taketora: "Congrats, guys!" 

Tetsurou groans, but Kenma just laughs quietly. "This is why I hate this stupid bus."

\+ 1.

"Okay," the interviewer says in a slightly nervous voice, looking in between the two of them. "I'm sure you two get asked this a lot, but uh, people online have been buzzing recently about the relationship between the two of you. So, uh, would you mind elaborating on that a little bit?"

Tetsurou gives Kenma's hand a squeeze, his signal that he's willing to answer the question. It's a system that's worked all too well in situations like this one for the two of them. "Elaborating on our relationship?" he asks.

"Sure," he says. "Uh, anything you want to say about it, I guess."

"Well," Tetsurou says, grinning, "my relationship with Kenma is fu-freaking amazing, because Kenma is amazing. He's the heart and soul of our band. He helps me to write the best songs, 'cause he comes up with some of the best ideas ever. He's really smart and observant. He notices things about me, and about other people, that I could've never picked up on. Also, he has a great sense of humor - and I don't just mean that because it's similar to mine, but it's funny in its own right, y'know. Plus also, just look at him. I know the fans already do - too much, if you ask me - but this man right here. If there's a God out there, he probably just threw in all the beauty in the universe to create Kenma -"

"Kuro," Kenma cuts him off, giving him a sharp elbow to the gut. "That's enough."

"Whaaat?" Tetsurou says. He looks at Kenma with his stupidly big puppy dog-like eyes, eyes that Kenma's had too much experience dealing with and yet is somehow susceptible to. "I'm just telling the truth."

"He asked about our relationship, not for you to deliver a soliloquy about everything you like about me."

"Fine, fine! You answer the question then, since clearly my answer wasn't good enough," Tetsurou says teasingly.

"Our relationship is fine," Kenma says flatly. "We work well together, maybe because we know each other too well. We understand each other. My only complaint is that Kuro can be too much at times."

"Haaah? I'm never 'too much', excuse you!" 

"So... are you two dating, then?" the interviewer asks awkwardly.

Tetsurou laughs, giving Kenma's hand another squeeze. He beams down at Kenma, his smile almost too bright to look at, and Kenma returns the smile - his much smaller, but still visible, especially to Tetsurou who has every facet of his expressions practically memorized. "Well," Tetsurou says, turning back to the reporter. "I guess that's up to you to decide."

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone!  
> This is my fic for Kuroken Week: Day 3, five times + one time. Yes, it's a self-indulgent band fic yet again, but I thought I'd take another perspective on it.  
> Thank you all so much for reading, and please leave a comment if you enjoyed!  
> Quick disclaimer: this is set in the US, hence the usage of first names.


End file.
